Ball cock valve

ABSTRACT

The invention is an improved ball cock valve having an antisiphon feature, and improved refill tube feature. The ball cock valve is a float-operated valve, the valve comprising a member with a downwardly extending skirt within which is a sealing disc which closes or seats on the upper end of an inflow pipe. The valve member operates within the upper end of a sleeve or cylindrical member around the inflow pipe. The skirt of the valve member below the seat has a transverse bore and an extending tube which moves vertically with the valve member in an axial slot in the sidewall of the said sleeve, this tube being connected to a tube which is the refill tube that leads to the overflow pipe in the flush tank in which the ball cock valve is used. The area or space around the valve member in the upper end of the sleeve or cylinder is open to atmosphere and provides an air gap preventing siphoning or backflow, that is, it provides an antisiphoning feature. The pressure of water flowing in through the inflow pipe and impinging against the valve seat and reversing in direction inside the skirt of the valve member produces a pressure which assures a flow of water into the refill tube for refilling the toilet bowl after flushing.

United States Patent] [72] Inventors Fay 0. Suffron PrimaryExaminerWilliam F. ODea Los Angeles; Assistant Examiner--David R.Matthews Theodore J. Zanias, Anaheim, Calif. Attorney-Herzig & Walsh[21] Appl. No. 764,387

[22] Filed Oct. 2, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [73} AsslgneeAmencan Metal P Corp ABSTRACT: The invention is an improved ball cockvalve L05 f having an antisiphon feature, and improved refill tubefeature. acorporatwn of calfoma The ball cock valve is a float-operatedvalve, the valve comprising a member with a downwardly extending skirtwithin [54] BALL COCK VALVE which is a sealing disc which closes orseats on the upper end- 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs. of an inflow plpe. Thevalve member operates with n the upper end of a sleeve or cylindricalmember around the mflow U-S. The of the valve member below the seat hasa trans- 137/451 verse bore and an extending tube which moves verticallywith [51] Int. Cl Fl6k31/26 the valve member in an axial slot in thesidewall of the aid [50] Field 0f Search leeve this tube being connectedto a tube which is the refill 436, 438, 441, 444, 442, 451 tube thatleads to the overflow pipe in the flush tank in which the ball cockvalve is used. The area or space around the valve [56] References andmember in the upper end of the sleeve or cylinder is open to UNITEDSTATES PATENTS atmosphere and provides an air gap preventing siphoningor 1,563,457 12/1925 Van Dyke 137/441 backflow, that is, it provides anantisiphoning feature. The

1,649,620 1 1/ 1927 Siefen 137/437X pressure of water flowing in throughthe inflow pipe and 2,142,893 1/1939 Geyer.... 137/436 impinging againstthe valve seat and reversing in direction in- 2,730,122 1/1956 Svirskyl37/442X side the skirt of the valve member produces a pressure which2,869,572 1/ 1959 Person l37/437X assures a flow of water into therefill tube for refilling the toilet 2,967,542 1/1961 Einer 137/437 bowlafter flushing.

7g I 3' 4 z s .116 52 1 a4 {6 6 1M [V] I I [LL/III BALL COCK VALVESUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to improvements in a ballcock valve particularly adapted for usein connection with flash tanks.Basically, this type of ball cock valve is known. The improvements inthis invention reside in particular means whereby there is an antisiphonfeature embodied in the assembly, and means are provided to assurepositive flow into the refill tube from the valve assembly.

In a preferred form of the invention as described indetail herein, ittakes the form of a valve member operated by a float at the upper insidepart of a cylinder or sleeve which surrounds the inflow pipe to theflush tank. The valve member is situated over the upper end of theinflow pipe. The valve member comprises a sealing disc which moves intoand out of engagement with the end of the inflow pipe it 'has adownwardly extending skirt. In a sidewall of the skirt is a transversebore having a tube connected to it which moves in an axial slot in theupper part of the cylinder or sleeve. This tube is connected to thetube, that is the refill tube that refills the flush tank. The upperpart of the sleeve or cylinder is open to the atmosphere providing anantisiphon feature.

In the light of the foregoing, the primary object of the invention is toprovide an improved ball cock valve of simplified but extremelyeffective construction embodying an antisiphon feature and positivemeans for assuring flow through the refill tube to the toilet bowl.

A further object resides in an improved ball cock valve wherein a valvemember is provided having a downwardly extending skirt and a seatingmember that seats on the upper end A further object is to provide animprovement as in the foregoing object including a transverse'tubeconnected to the skirt of the valve member, and a further connectingtube which provides a refill for the toilet bowl after flushing, thevalve member being configurated such that pressure is generated withinthe skirt when water is flowing assuring positive flow into the refilltube.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawingswherein: a

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the upper part of FIG. 1 showing the valvein another position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

Referring more particularly to the various FIGS. of the drawings. theimproved ball cock valve is shown in section in FIGS. 1 and 2. Numeraldesignates a section of the flush tank in which the valve may be used.The inflow pipe is designated at 12 and it has a threaded part 14 whichextends through a bore 16 in the bottom wall of the flush tank and issealed thereto byway of the fitting 17 on the inflow pipe, havingbetween it and the bottom of the tank a sealing gasket 20. Numeral 22designates a coupling member having engagement with the threaded part 14of the inflow pipe and between this coupling member and the bottom wallof the flush tank is a sealing gasket 24.

The inflow pipe 12 extends up into the flush tank as shown and around itis a cylinder or sleeve of larger diameter as designated at 30. Theinflow pipe may be made of plastic and it is provided with radial webmembers as designated at 32, 34, 36 and 38 as may be seen in FIG. 4which space and hold the cylinder 30 in position relative to the inflowtube, the webs 32 to 38 having square shoulders near their lower parts,one of which is designated at 42 against which the lower end of cylinder30 abuts.

Near the upper end of the cylinder 30 is a flange 46. The upper end ofthe cylinder 30 is closed by a top cover or disc 48, and this cover issecured to the flange 46 by way of bolts,

one of which is shown at 50 extending through registering openings inthe peripheral part of the cover 48. and the flange 46 as designated at52 and 54. The cover 48 has a central bore 62. The valve member isdesignated at 64. It may be made of plastic. It has a body 66 which iscylindrical having a central bore 68 and a downwardly extending skirt70. The skirt flares or tapers outwardly as shown and the inside of theskirt is also tapered or flared as shown at 72. Within the skirt is arubber sealing disc 74 which is adjacent the end of the small bore 68 inthe valve member. The valve member has an integral upper part 78 whichfits through the bore 62 and the cap 48, the sides of the upper part 78having flats so that it is fluted to provide free access of atmosphericpressure through the bore 62 around the part 78.

. In the side of the skirt 70 below the rubber disc 74 is a transversebore 80 to which a tube 82 is connected, this tube being movable in aslot 84, that is an axial slot in the side of the cylinder 30. The tube82 connects to a flexible tube 88, that is the refill tube that leads tothe overflow tube conventionally found in flush tanks and by means ofwhich the toilet bowl is refilled after being flushed. This structure,that is the refill tube arrangement, is itself well known in the art.

The ball cock valve is operated by a float not shown. which is at theend of a stem I00 and moves up and down with'the level of liquid in theflush tank. It is connected to lever member 102 preferably made ofplastic at the end of the stem which extends into the plastic and beingsecured by a nut 104. The lever 102 extends between two upstanding legsforming a yoke, one of which is designated at 106 in FIG. 1, and thenthe member 102 is pivoted between the legs on a pivot member 108. At theend of the member 102 it has a bore I10 and extending through this boreis a bolt 112 having a nut 114 on it and having a head 116 which bearsagainst the upper end of the member 78 for actuating the valve member.

FIG. 1 shows the valve in closed position and FIG. 2 shows it in openposition. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the valve member.

From the foregoing those skilled in the art will readily understand theoperation of the invention. When the toilet bowl is flushed the waterdrains out of the flush tank and the float drops moving the stem 100 andthe member 102 into the shown in FIG. 2. This allows the valve member 64to move up into the position as shown in FIG. 2 wherein the shoulder atthe upper part of the cylindrical section 66 of the valve member comesinto engagement with the top or cover 48. Incoming water through theinflow pipe 12 strikes against the rubber disc 74 and is thus able toopen the valve in this manner. The valve member in moving up carries thetube 82 with it in the slot 84. The incoming water comes up out of theupper end of the inflow tube 12 and strikes the disc 74 and itsdirection is substantially reversed so that it now flows downwardly andagainst the inner sidewalls within the skirt 70. This produces apressure within the skirt resulting from the velocity of flow such thatwater is forced into the tube 82 and into the refill tube 88 forrefilling the toilet bowl after flushing. The water from the inflow pipeflows downwardly on the inside of the sleeve or cylinder 30 and exits atthe bottom of this cylinder adjacent the top of the fitting or part 17.

At this time, the head of the screw 1116 is in a position as shown inFIG. 2. As the flush tank fills up, the float and the lever operatedthereby are moved back into the position of FIG. 1 closing the valve byseating the rubber disc 74 on the end of the inflow pipe 12, the upperend; of which is beveled as shown. This cuts off the flow of water intothe flush tank as well as through the refill tube 88 to the toilet bowlwhich has now been refilled. It will be observed that backflow orsiphoning of the flush tank through the tube 12 cannot take placebecause of the air gap provided at the upper end of the sleeve orcylinder 30. That is the space around the valve member 64 is open to theatmospheric pressure within the flush tank through the bore 62 along theflats on the member 78 as well as through the slot 84.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will readily understand thenature of the invention, its construction and operation and the mannerin which it achieves and realizes all of the objects and advantages asset forth in the foregoing as well as its many additional advantagesthat are apparent from the detailed description.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of theinvention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than alimiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of theclaims appended hereto.

We claim:

1, A ball cock valve comprising means forming an inlet pipe, a valvemember movable to engage and seal the end of the inlet pipe, meansforming a housing around the inlet pipe and valve member andconstituting an outflow pipe, float means for actuating the valvemember, said housing having opening means whereby the interior of thesaid housing around the valve member is at all times open to atmosphericpressure whereby an antisiphon feature is provided to prevent backsiphoning of water through the inflow tube, said valve member having adownwardly extending skirt positioned around the upper end of the inflowpipe whereby incoming water strikes the skirt and is substantiallyreversed in direction by means of the said skirt, a port in the side ofsaid skirt and tubular means connected thereto whereby water may beforced into said tubular means from inside of said skirt and caused tobe directed to a toilet bowl to refill it.

2. A structure as in claim 1 wherein said valve member has a stemextending through said opening means and engageable with said floatmeans,

3. A structure as in claim 1 wherein said housing has an opening thereinpositioned to allow movement of said tubular means therein.

1. A ball cock valve comprising means forming an inlet pipe, a valve member movable to engage and seal the end of the inlet pipe, means forming a housing around the inlet pipe and valve member and constituting an outflow pipe, float means for actuating the valve member, said housing having opening means whereby the interior of the said housing around the valve member is at all times open to atmospheric pressure whereby an antisiphon feature is provided to prevent back siphoning of water through the inflow tube, said valve member having a downwardly extending skirt positioned around the upper end of the inflow pipe whereby incoming water strikes the skirt and is substantially reversed in direction by means of the said skirt, a port in the side of said skirt and tubular means connected thereto whereby water may be forced into said tubular means from inside of said skirt and caused to be directed to a toilet bowl to refill it.
 2. A structure as in claim 1 wherein said valve member has a stem extending through said opening means and engageable with said float means.
 3. A structure as in claim 1 wherein said housing has an opening therein positioned to allow movement of said tubular means therein. 